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MOVIES / ON DVD / THE HISTORY BOYS
The History Boys

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The History Boys (2006)

63%
64%
71%
N/A
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N/A
71 %
Reviews Counted: 113 Fresh: 81  Rotten:32 Average Rating: 6.5/10
 
Consensus: A witty and involving school drama. While not quite having the impact of its original stage version, The History Boys nevertheless is a witty and involving school drama. more
 
Rated: R
Runtime: 2 hrs 2 mins
Theatrical Release: 2006-Fall
Box Office: $2,568,197
Synopsis:
THE HISTORY BOYS tells the story of an unruly class of bright, funny history students in pursuit of an undergraduate place at Oxford or Cambridge. Bounced between their maverick English master (Richard Griffiths), a young and shrewd teacher hired to up their test scores (Stephen Campbell... [More]
THE HISTORY BOYS tells the story of an unruly class of bright, funny history students in pursuit of an undergraduate place at Oxford or Cambridge. Bounced between their maverick English master (Richard Griffiths), a young and shrewd teacher hired to up their test scores (Stephen Campbell Moore), a grossly out-numbered history teacher (Frances de la Tour), and a headmaster obsessed with results (Clive Merrison), the boys attempt to sift through it all to pass the daunting university admissions process. Their journey becomes as much about how education works, as it is about where education leads. The big screen adaptation of the five time Tony award-winning play of the same name, THE HISTORY BOYS utilizes the same talent that originally brought the production to the stage. It is directed by Nicholas Hytner from a script adapted for the screen by the playwright Alan Bennett. The stage version premiered to the world in London’s prestigious National Theatre in 2004, winning audience and critical acclaim alike including Laurence Olivier Awards for Best New Play, Best Director (Nicholas Hytner) and Best Actor (Richard Griffiths), as well as Evening Standard and Critics Circle Awards for Best Play. The production will premiere on Broadway in the spring of 2006. The key cast of the film remains the same as the original stage version led by Richard Griffiths, Clive Merrison, Frances de la Tour, Stephen Campbell Moore, Sacha Dhawan, Samuel Anderson, Dominic Cooper, Andrew Knott, Samuel Barnett, Russell Tovey, Jamie Parker and James Corden. THE HISTORY BOYS is produced by Kevin Loader (ENDURING LOVE, CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN), Damian Jones (MILLIONS, WELCOME TO SARAJEVO) and Nicholas Hytner. A distinguished British screenwriter, playwright and actor, Alan Bennett recently won his fourth Olivier Award for Best New Play for “The History Boys.” Previously he won two Oliviers for “Talking Heads” in 1992 and one for “Single Spies” in 1989. In addition to being nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA Award and a Writers Guild of America Award for the feature film THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE, Bennett won a Writers Guild of Great Britain Award. He has been nominated for eight BAFTA TV Awards and won one for “A Question of Attribution,” and received three BAFTA Film nominations. Bennett began his career as an actor and writer for the "Beyond the Fringe" comedy troupe, which also included Dudley Moore, Peter Cook, and Jonathan Miller. Nicholas Hytner won a BAFTA Award for Best British Film for THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE. He earned both a Tony and an Olivier Award for his direction of “Carousel” and an Olivier Award for “The History Boys.” He was awarded the 1989 London Evening Standard Theatre Award and London Critics Circle Theatre Award for Best Director for “Miss Saigon” and “Ghetto.” Hytner’s feature film directorial credits also include THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION and THE CRUCIBLE. Hytner is Artistic Director of London’s National Theatre. -- © Fox Searchlight Pictures [Less]

Genre: Dramas

Starring: Frances De La Tour, Stephen Campbell Moore, James Corden, Richard Griffiths, Clive Merrison

Director: Nicholas Hytner
Screenwriter: Alan Bennett
Producer: Damian Jones, Kevin Loader
Composer: George Fenton

DVD Info

Release:

Mar 4, 2008

[DVD Details]

DVD Features:

  • Keep Case
  • Widescreen - 1.85

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital Surround - Spanish
  • Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
  • Subtitles - English, French, Spanish - Optional

Additional Release Material:

  • Additional Footage - Widescreen Feature 1.33
  • Audio Commentaries - Nicholas Hytner - Director; Alan Bennett - Writer
  • Featurettes - 1. "Pass it On: THE HISTORY BOYS on Screen"
  • 2. "History Boys Around the World: Tour Diaries"
  • Trailers - Previews

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borebox 05/10/08
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Hey All, How are you all doing? We are fine. Are you coping with winter okay? I'm ready for spring big time. We got... More
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Simply Superb
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In "The History Boys," it is Yorkshire in 1983 and the A-level results have just been announced with several students... More
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A mediocre production & way too gay. A movie about paederasts, for paederasts - heck, the boys don't mind! Tries and fails to build sympathy.
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(***): I liked the humor and wit even though I was sort of creeped out by some things here. Overall, good acting from the... More
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